Hello from Portland Oregon

[SeaMonkey]

I am a runner; I have always been a runner. I became a runner in 1971, yes I know I am dating myself. US Army, 82nd Airborne Division, all you do is run, run and run more. I fell in love with the almost hypnotic effects of running, and I continued to run today, although I did take a few years off for personal reasons. But I am back. My, how things have changed. No more jump boots and close order running formations. No more Nike 180's. Now running seems to be a science. Scientific or not, I still run for the pure pleasure of how it makes me feel.

I am married to a barefoot runner. She is my inspiration....although a bit loony. She has been pounding away at me for the last two years trying to get me to see the light....her light. It has been an upward battle for her I am sure....especially since I love those jump boots lol. But I decided that I would give it a try, and last weekend I tagged along on a trail run with her and some of her barefoot freeps (freaky peeps). She loaned me her Moc3's to wear since I am such a wossie and I ended up running about 5.25 miles along mild rocky trails. It was euphoric. I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and not lugging around 5 pounds of jump boots was a remarkable experience. Now I am not going to admit this to her of course. I have to retain some leverage lol. But today I signed up for the 2013 Portland Marathon which I will run in my own Moc3's or something equivalent.....since I am still a woosie lol. But it is now my light I am following and I am glad to be part of a group of pioneers.

 

[Phil Hart]

Hooah, Airborne! Welcome back to running and welcome to the science of it. Glad to have you with us.

I work at lovely Fort Bragg now as a consultant. The 82nd ABN knuckleheads don't have to run in boots anymore, but they are still lugging around their Nikes, New Balances, Asics, Brooks, and many others. You'll come to love BF the more you do it. Just take the transition slow and steady to give your body time to adapt without injury, and listen closely to the feedback your feet provide. If they tell you to take a few days off, do it. I didn't listen and got to spend 10 weeks on my butt healing a stress-fractured 3rd metatarsal head in my left foot. Keep the good, excited "Hooah" level; don't push past the stupid, boneheaded "Hooah" level and you'll find a new love for running. The more you can go truly BF, the more you'll love it. Give it a fair shake, and you'll find that I'm telling you the simple truth.

Again, welcome to the family, brother.

 

[janson]

Glad she finally corrupted you!

 

[rickwhitelaw]

Welcome SeaMonkey. Now we are going to have to watch what we say on here. You have a great coach.

 

[dutchie53]

Welcome seamonkey, hopefully we finally have a sane runner from Oregon.

 

[NickW]

Welcome seamonkey, hopefully we finally have a sane runner from Oregon.

Dutchie, he's married to Jen, how sane can he be?

David, you are also dating yourself by the name SeaMonkey! Lol! I remember reading comics as a kid that were from the 60's I think (they were up in my grandma's attic) that had ads for seamonkeys in them. Are seamonkeys still around? Can I call you brine shrimp David? Just messing with you! Glad to see you're making the switch at least to minimalist shoes (minshoe). I went from full on shoddie, to barefoot, to minshoes (I think they are full on shoes, but shoe industry called them minshoes), to barefoot and now back to a minshoe. I don't like all the debris on the roads lately as it makes my feet hurt so for the time being I am running with minshoes (actual minshoes not those monstrosities you saw at the Wildwood Trail Trial). Anyhow, remember not to push too hard during your transition to a minimalist runner. I know Jen will keep you in line, but I feel I still gotta say it.

 

[SeaMonkey]

Yes SeaMonkey does date me a bit . I chose that name because, for a long time Jen actually thought they were real.....but that is another story....too funny. Anyway, SeaMonkey is the name of our sailboat that we live on full time. Not sure who corrupted who, but on the barefoot side of the equation, Jen is definitely the instigator. She is an inspiration and truely has changed her life through barefoot running. She carries the barefoot tourch wherever she goes and takes every opportunity to talk (coherce, beg, threaten, or otherwise) people into trying it. Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom and welcome.

 

[Robin]

Welcome seamonkey, hopefully we finally have a sane runner from Oregon.

No it's jens husband,he's fucked up too!

 

[jldeleon]

Welcome to the dark side...we have TWINKIES!!!

 

[Robin]

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Welcome, Jen's man! It's about damn time! Hee.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

Oh boy, welcome? I think?

 

[SeaMonkey]

Thanks again everybody.....I can see I am among friends....or should I say fiends (Oh wait, that is only when I get home lol)

 

[RunningPirate]

Oh! So she didn't have you zip-tied to an IKEA chair...she had you hog-tied in the bosuns chair. Got it.

Welcome, monkey. I'd warn you about the weirdo's here, but you're married to their leader, so the rest of us will seem rather bland, by comparison...

RP

 

[SeaMonkey]

Dude, did she send you pictures of that bosuns chair incident......I swear she totally tricked me into that chair.....and the tutu was only introduced after she fed me that third drink, which she said was grape juice lol. Rule number one; never marry your Dominatrix......especially if you are hog tied to a boxuns chair lol. Lesson learned...

 

[rickwhitelaw]

Your first thread SeaMonkey and already TMI. You are going to fit right in.

 

[dutchie53]

Yup, there is another Oregon barefooter that is already corrupted from the get go. But he does seem to have a plausible excuse, living with Jen and all that weirdness. Must be something in the air over there that seems to effect anything to do with sanity.

 

[NickW]

Yup, there is another Oregon barefooter that is already corrupted from the get go. But he does seem to have a plausible excuse, living with Jen and all that weirdness. Must be something in the air over there that seems to effect anything to do with sanity.

Dutchie, I think it's Jen that corrupts everything. I think most of us were fairly normal people till we met Jen.

 

[SeaMonkey]

Hummmmmm.......I've seen you in action Nick...NORMAL is not the word I would use for you lol. You dont even run with shoes.....how normal can you be

 

[jldeleon]

Nick, you are a closet weirdo and I just drug you out of the closet, come on...admit it!